Automobile-controlling mechanism.



R. SYMMONDS, In.

AUTOMOBILE CONTROLLING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 29. I909.

Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON, u. c

n are.

ROBERT SYMIVIONDS, .13., OF KENOSI-IA, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR T0 THOMAS B. JEFFERY,

OF KENOSHA, WISCONSIN.

AUTOMOBILE-CONTROLLING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ROBERT SYMMoNDs, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at Kenosha, county of Kenosha, State of Wisconsin, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Automobile-Controlling Mechanism, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains'to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

In my prior application, Serial No. 328,872, filed August 2nd, 1906, I have disclosed an improved form of steering mechanism for automobiles wherein the steering shaft is supported by a single bearing at the upper end thereof. In one of its aspects, my

- present invention may be regarded as comprising improvements in such steering mechanism.

It is necessary to provide auxiliary controlling shafts for governing the fuel supply, the ignition circuit and the like and, in a further aspect, my invention may be regarded as comprising a novel construction and arrangement of auxiliary controlling mechanism associated with a steering shaft supported at one end only so as to permit the other end of the shaft to oscillate about the point of support.

In a further aspect of my invention, it may be regarded as comprising a novel inclosing casing for a steering shaft so as to provide an oil well for assuring proper lubrication of the connection between the steering shaft and the member to be actuated thereby. The various features of novelty whereby my invention is characterized will hereinafter be pointed out with particularity in the claims; but, for a full understanding of my invention in various aspects and of its objects and advantages, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1' is a central longitudinal section showing the lower end of my improved mechanism, the section being indicated as taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 3; Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the upper portion of the mechanism; and Fig. 3 is a. section taken on line 3+3 .of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a casing which may conveniently consist of a casting a to the upper end of which is secured a tubular extension a The casting is preferably provided with lugs B and C whereby the casing may be secured to the frame of an automobile. The lower end of the casing is closed so as to provide an oil well.

E is a tubular steering shaft supported within the casing from its upper end so as to permit the lower end to oscillate slightly in the lateral direction.

Secured to the lower end of the steering shaft, or forming part thereof, is a hollow screw-threaded member F which cooperates with a surrounding nut G to effect the steering of the automobile. Portions, as least, of the members F and G project into the oil well so that in operation, when there is oil in the well, these parts will be effectively lubricated. The upper end of the steering shaft may be supported in any suitable way, that illustrated being the arrangement disclosed in my aforesaid application, which is as follows: Brazed into or otherwise secured to the top of the shaft is a po st H having between its ends an annular flange h and having a screw-threaded portion h at its upper end. The post extends through a ring I secured at the upper end of the tubular member a of the casing, the flange 7t underlying and engaging with a shoulder 21 on the ring. The hub K of the steering wheel surrounds and engages with the post above the ring I. p p

L is a nut on the screw-threaded portion of the post, engaging with the outer end of the steering wheel hub and drawing the hub and flange it into engagement with the top of the ring and with the shoulder 2', respectively. In the present arrangement the post H is made hollow and consequently there is a free passage from the top of the casing to the bottom thereof through the steering shaft and its adjuncts.

In accordance with my invention, I arrange within the hollow steering shaft one or more auxiliary shafts for controlling the supply of fuel, the spark or the like. In the particular arrangement shown, there are two of these auxiliary shafts but it will, of course, be understood that the number may be varied as desired. Furthermore, I show a protective shield for the auxiliary shafts but secured in a hub or boss A in the bottom wall of the casing.

Secured upon the upper end of the tube M is a hub of a segment or dial m,- this hub resting upon the upper end of the post H and assisting in positioning and holding the shield.

Journaled within the shield so as to be revoluble is a tubular shaft N, this shaft preferably having bearings within the shield at the top and bottom as at n and 12. respectively.

N is a crank arm secured to the lower end of the tube N which projects beyond the lower end of the tubular shield. Upon the upper end of the tube N is a handle N. The members N and N bear respectively against the boss A and top of the segment m, the shaft being thus held against end- Wise movement, but being left free to rotate.

O is a second auxiliary shaft extending through the tubular shaft N and having bearings 0 and 0 within the upper and lower ends of the tubular shaft N, respec- V tively.

O and O are respectively a crank arm and an operating handle secured tothe lower end and the upper end of the shaft 0.

The crank arm 0 bears against the underside of the crank arm N and the handle rests upon the handle N the shaft 0 being thus held against axial movement, but being free to rotate. Y

It will thus be seen that any one of the three shafts may be operated independently of the other, the two auxiliary shafts being simply rotatable, while the steering shaft is both capable of rotating and of oscillating laterally. 7

One of the features of my invention comprises a novel construction for transmitting the reciprocating motion of the nut G to a crank arm P. The crank arm is preferably provided at its inner end with a shaft R which extends at right angles thereto. The portion of the shaft adjacent to the crank arm is adapted to be received and revolubly held in a bearing A arranged in the wall of the casing at one side of the screw-threaded member F. The middle portion of the shaft, 1- is tapered and the free end of the shaft, r is preferably reduced in diameter to or below the diameter of the small end of the portion 1" and is provided with screwthreads, 7. Upon the tapered portion of the shaft is mounted a two-part yoke comshaft. U is a key'carried by the tapered portion of the crank shaft and extending into the two yoke members so as to lock them against rotation. V is a bushing fitting upon the reduced portion r of the crank shaft and having a flange v at its outer end. The exterior diameter of the bushing is preferably such that the bushing may be rotatably received and retained in a bearing A similar to the bearing A and the length of the bushing, exclusive of the flange, is preferably equal to or slightly greater than the length of the bearing A W is a nut engaging with the screw-threads r on the crank shaft. parts the two yoke members are slipped over the trunnions g and they are then held so as to bring their openings's and 25 into alinement with the bearin gs A The crank shaft is then introduced, the bushing V is slipped in place and the nut W added. The nut is then turned until the two yoke members are seated tightly upon the tapered portion of the crank shaft. By making the bushing V of a length at least equal to that of the bearing A the flange 11 engages with the outer wall of the casing which forms an abutment While the nut is being turned; but it is im possible to draw the yoke against the in-:

terior of the casing so as to clamp a portion of the casing between it and the flange.

on the bushing. The portions ofthe yoke surrounding the crank shaft are preferably of such length, measured axially of the shaft, that they substantially fill the space between the bearings A and A It will,

therefore, be seen that the single nut serves to hold the two parts of the yoke upon the shaft and in proper relation to the trunnions g, and: at the same time secures the- .an arc of a circle, this being pefmitted by the'steering shaft which is free to oscillate slightly toward and from the axis of the crank shaft.

While I have described in detail a single preferred embodiment of my invention, I do not desire to be limited to the structural details illustrated and described, but intend,

In assembling the to cover all forms of my invention which fall within the terms of the definitions constituting the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, a casing, a hollow steering shaft projecting into the casing, means for supporting the shaft at its upper end upon the casing so as to permit the lower end of the shaft to oscillate transversely to its axis, a lever, a connection between the lower end of the shaft and said lever for actuating the lever, a second shaft extending through the hollow steering shaft, and a bearing for said second shaft at the lower end of the casing.

2. In combination, a casing, a hollow steering shaft projecting into the casing, means for supporting the shaft at its upper end upon the casing so as to permit the lower end of the shaft to oscillate transversely to its axis, a lever, a connection between the lower end of the shaft and said lever for actuating the lever, a second shaft extending through the hollow steering shaft, a bearing for said second shaft at the upper end of the steering shaft, and a bearing for said second shaft at the lower end'of the casing.

3. In combination, a casing, a hollow steering shaft projecting into the casing, means for supporting said shaft at the upper end of the casing so as to permit the lower end of the shaft to oscillate transversely to the axis of the shaft, a lever mounted on the casing adjacent to the lower end of said shaft, a nut connected to said lever, a hollow screw-threaded member connected to the lowerend of said shaft and extending into said nut, a revoluble shaft extending through said steering shaft, and a bearing on said casing for the lower end of said revoluble shaft.

4. In combination, a casing, a hollow steering shaft projecting into the casing, means for supporting said shaft at the upper end of the casing so as to permit the lower end of the shaft to oscillate transversely of the axis of the shaft, a lever mounted on the casing adjacent to the lower end of said shaft, a nut connected to said lever, a hollow screw-threaded member connected to the lower end of said shaft and extending into said nut, a revoluble shaft extending through said steering shaft, a

bearing for said revoluble shaft at the upper end of said steering shaft, and a bearing on said casing for the lower end of said revoluble shaft.

5. In combination, a casing, a hollow steering shaft extending into said casing, means for supporting said shaft at its upper end so as to permit the lower end to oscillate, a stationary tube extending through said steering shaft and connected at its lower end to said casing, a revoluble shaft extending through said tube, and a bearing for said revoluble shaft at the lower end of said tube.

6. In combination, a casing, a hollow steering shaft extending into said casing, means for supporting said shaft at its upper end so as to permit the lower end to oscillate, a stationary tube extending through said steering shaft and connected at its lower end to said casing, a revoluble shaft extending through said tube, a bearing for said second shaft at the upper end of said tube, and a bearing for said revoluble shaft at the lower end of said tube.

7. In combination, a casing, a hollow steering shaft extending into said casing, means for supporting said shaft at its upper end so as to permit the lower end to oscillate, a stationary tube extending through said steering shaft and connected at its lower end to said casing, a revoluble shaft extending through said tube, a bearing for said revoluble shaft at the lower end of said tube, and means for preventing axial movements of said second shaft.

8. In combination, a casing, a hollow steering shaft extending into said casing, means for revolubly supporting said steering shaft at its upper end so as to permit the lower end to oscillate transversely of the axis, a stationary tube extending through said steering shaft, a connection between the lower end of said tube and said casing, a second tubular shaft extending through said tube, means for revolubly supporting said shaft within said tube, a third shaft extending through said second tubular shaft, and means for revolubly supporting said third shaft within said second tubular shaft.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT SYMMONDS, JR.

Witnesses:

CHARLES T. ABBOTT, E1). DIXON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

